Technical Field
This invention relates, in general, to testing and evaluation of subterranean formation fluids and, in one embodiment to a single phase fluid sampling apparatus with embedded transducers to evaluate and measure various aspects of the sampling process and to measure various parameters of the samples. The invention also relates to sampling apparatus for use in severe subterranean conditions.
Background Art
It is well known in the subterranean well drilling and completion art to perform tests on formations intersected by a wellbore. Such tests are typically performed in order to determine geological or other physical properties of the formation and fluids contained therein. For example, parameters such as permeability, porosity, fluid resistivity, temperature, pressure and bubble point may be determined. These and other characteristics of the formation and fluid contained therein may be determined by performing tests on the formation before the well is completed.
One type of testing procedure that is commonly performed is to obtain a fluid sample from the formation to, among other things, determine the composition of the formation fluids. In this procedure, it is important to obtain a sample of the formation fluid that is representative of the fluids as they exist in the formation. In a typical sampling procedure, a sample of the formation fluids may be obtained by lowering a sampling tool having a sampling chamber into the wellbore on a conveyance such as a wireline, slickline, coiled tubing, jointed tubing or the like. When the sampling tool reaches the desired depth, one or more ports are opened to allow collection of the formation fluids. The ports may be actuated in variety of ways such as by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical methods. Once the ports are opened, formation fluids travel through the ports and a sample of the formation fluids is collected within the sampling chamber of the sampling tool. After the sample has been collected, the sampling tool may be withdrawn from the wellbore so that the formation fluid sample may be analyzed.
In many situations it has been found that multiple samples are needed in many situations. Also, it has been determined that as the fluid sample is retrieved to the surface, the temperature of the fluid sample decreases causing shrinkage of the fluid sample and a reduction in the pressure of the fluid sample. These changes can cause the fluid sample to approach or reach saturation pressure creating the possibility of asphaltene deposition and flashing of entrained gasses present in the fluid sample. Once such a process occurs, the resulting fluid sample is no longer representative of the fluid conditions present in the formation.
Accordingly, fluid samplers have been developed with the capacity to obtain and store multiple samples and with the capacity to maintain the samples at wellbore pressure during withdrawal from the wellbore. For example, samplers marketed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. under the trademark Armada® and the samplers disclosed in the Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.'s. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,472,589; 7,596,995; 7,874,206 and 7,966,876 are capable of obtaining multiple samples and utilize high pressure inert gas nitrogen containers to maintain the samples as wellbore pressures during recovery to the wellhead. The above listed Halliburton patents are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
While these prior art samplers provide excellent sampling there are situations where these samplers are used in highly pressure, high temperature and corrosive well environments. Accordingly, the sample containers and nitrogen bottles in samplers used in these environments comprising a variety of expensive and exotic materials selected not to react with or contaminate the samples.
To fit in the wellbore and provide an adequate capacity of the samples and supply of pressurizing gas, these sample containers and nitrogen bottles are made in a long and thin shape. Some containers and bottles are as long as about 15 feet which requires undesirable welding of these exotic materials that comprise these portions of the sampler.
The existing fluid samplers are passive, in that they do not have a capacity to communicate with the surface. There have been occasions when for whatever reason the sampler did not obtain a sufficient sample. Accordingly, there is a need for a smarter fluid sampler which can measure the sampling process and parameters of the resulting sample and communicate these measurements to a surface operator or an embedded processor to initiate additional processes to obtain a proper sample.